Tension-device



Dec. l4, 1956 W, V, GOODHUE ET AL 2,772,840

TENSION-DEVICE v Filed Aug. 6, 1953 5 sheds-sheer 5 L: vez: ters: ylgmz VG'oouze urfJRah land l /g'rorzz ys.

United States Patent f -TENsIoN-pnvrcn 1Sll-illianiiV .Qoodltua .N 0.1131 Kingstown, -fl'- and Curt J. i.,Roliland, .Seekorxk, 'll/lass., a'ssignors to Universal Winding. (lonlpany',.(1raI1ston,.R. .71., a corporation ofl a 'Massachusetts' Application Auguste, .1.953,v serial-N0. 322,656 Claims. `(ci. 242-428) between `which ,the wire feeds to the tension-disk.

One object of the invention ,is to provide ,a deviceof --thetype indicated -to which the spool `for other container Afertile Wound V strand may 4be conveniently applied, with adjustable tensioning means for applying resistance to `thedraftzon ythe material being unwound.

AAnotlier vobject .is to provide ya holder for a .spool or .otherstrand-container comprising va cylindrical enclosure of :transparent material surrounding the spool in spaced l relation thereto so that the .condition -of the unwinding -n raterifal may be observed during .the operation of :the '.device.

Another object is to provide adjustable tensioning .means `spaced from the spool and its cylindrical enclosure and adapted .to be shifted or swung out ofthe way for permitting convenient application offthe spool-to its holder tor its removal therefrom. f U

` Another object is to provide a rotatable disk or -pulley around-.Which the wire Vor other material feeds tas it .is :withdrawn from the spool with means for frictionally resisting the rotation of said pulley to apply tension fto Ihedelivering strand.

Anothernbject is .to providea .disk or pulleyh'aving a resilient .annulus surrounding its periphery and Ybearing.

`Furtherobjects of 'the-invention are set forth n the -following specilicatio'n which discloses a preferredrform of construction of the device as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Fig. lisa Vside elevational view of the liFig. ,2. is -an enlarged front view ofthe device illustrated Vin vertical-position with the enclosingY balloon-guard shownin section; t

Fig. 3 `lis a plan view of the same;

Fig. 4 isa detailed Vview of the adjustable frictional braking means for controlling the rotation of ythe tensiondisk or pulley with the latter shown in section;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vView of the tensioning means shown-asswung back from operative positionto provide for placing the `spool on itsholder orremovingit therei from; and

-cile f5 lprojecting throughrafncentral hole therein.

ICC

atented Dec. 4, 195,6

nil-iig. .6 is a similarzview showing'the-v tensioning lmeans .Swung Aback .out .of .the .way. and ,the felt pads .separa.ted .for cleaning, andfforvthreading the wirer therebetween. Y

I n -.winding .line wire into electrical 4.coils andgfor-delivering other lstrand material y,from-a spooluorslike con- .tainer vitis-essential to applytension thereto asfthefstrand uncoils `over. the vend-'of -the spool; vandrneans .must be provided for tensioning the multiple strands :unwinding ffroma plurality of `-spools 4mounted `on ap-ereel tozsupply .-.themfto ga coil-Winder comprising appluralitypf winding heads. The 4present `improved-device isadapted .-.parti'cu- `.larly :for this purpose and isfherewshownt'as embodied .in va single unit mounted on .5a bracket-clampedtoione of the .crossarms of `a creel orsimlar lframework. `The .creel ,may consist: of a fpluralitygofnprights 2 `constructed yof rods or pipes landcrossarms ,3, also Aofpipe (Figs. 41

and g2), =with `suit-able clamping means formountingfthe Yspool-,holders and-tension-,devices fthereon. `illustrated in Fig. 2, the holder for the spool ,S may consist-in :a rectangular -baseyplate or platform` 4 V'mounted l en .la :.fspin- The .spindle 5v alsofprojects `throughgayhole in a'circularrdisk l-Wliiichfform's the bottom of. a cylinder 7 constituting an -enclosure for the `Spool S. The cylinder i7 zs'erves ;as'a ,guard ior lcontrolling :the "ballooning of'the wire :as it njncoils from thespool S. Preierab1y,:the cylindrical en- `.closure ;or balloon-'guard 7 -is .constructed of -transparent material :such vas @plastic .orglass :so that :the spool Iis :visible :therethrough fromgthe voutside for observingthe condition of the strand-material asfitunwinds -frorn'fthe spool. "A nutf .screwed onto the threaded :upperend of the spindle l5 `tbinds -the gplate .-.4 against fthe :shoulder .'9 of t an enlarged-boss -10 on the'spindle. jAlclamping men'iber 151 vofjinverted channel-shape is staked vto the boss "105cm :the spindle 5 to provide means-for 'fastening v the f-device .-toqa creel or iother support.

A Asheet-metal washer"12 .gf undulating contour in edge-view lsurroundsthe boss 10 betweenthegplate 4 and the top of theclamping mem -,ber l1-1 for frictional-Y .engagement therewith toresistturn- `finguriovement of ,the bracket-.assembly aboutthe spindle 5, whiletpermttingits -rota'tion for adjustingitfto facein Asshown in Fig. 1,:the 'channel-.shaped clamping member 1.11 .has the tends `of .its downtur-,ned flanges. `arcuattely V'recessed"to-,lit -arfoun'd fone side of the vCreel-member -or jpipe andia second lL--shaped clampingrnember'lS has one .leg-i4 larcuately lshapedat its .tend (Fig. 2,.) to bear against the inner web of the ymern-ber 11.with theaend of .its longer 1eg,:15 yshaped `to engage .around the opposite side of the pipe 3. Ahand-nut "16 screwed onto the Vtlrn'eadedendiof the spindle `5 is employed to'draw the parts ,of-,the clamp `together to grip the `pipe 3, the end of the nut having a convex portion engaging in asimilarly shaped depression :1 7 in the clamping .member 13. `By tighteningv the nut 1 6.V the Vmember 15 Ais V-bound yagainst one-side of fthe pipe 3 van'd the-cooperating channel-v. shaped .clamp 11 engaged forcibly against theLopposite sident .the Vpipe with 'the plate L4 ixedly held against .the

shoulder .9 at. the end of the boss-10; Screwed onto'the upper .end Jof Avthe spindle 5 isp-a cylindrical spool-holder -8 .on which the spool S maybe xedly Imounted-within `thee cylindrical.balloon-guard7. v

kProjecting -pfrom vthe end of ,the vrectangular 4platform ror plate 4, and prefertablyfformed.integral therewith, is

anrarm Ior bracket 20 whichfmay'be constructed` of` channelV shape in 4cross-section a-s shown most clearly -in .-Fig. 3.

The Ichannel-shaped bracket 20 forms the support for-the 1 parts of .the ,tension-device whichare mounted at its 4outer .endas viewedin Eig. l. v

.Referring more particularlyto Figs. '5 and 6.., the tension-device comprises a pair of .sheet-metalarms .2,1 and 22 formed at their rearward ends Awith spaced ears 23 V22 extend in spacedparallel relationship at right-angles to Vthe bracket 20 with the end of the lower arm 22 resting on lugs 26 bent laterally across the end of the side flanges of the bracket 20. A rectangular metal strip or block 27 fastened to the under side of the upper arm 21 engages .the top of the lower arm 22 to maintain the two arms in parallel, spaced relationship as shown in Fig. l. A bowed leaf-spring 30 fastened -by a bolt 31 to .the bracket 20 extends outwardly therealong with its end adapted to engage across the rearward edge of the arm 21fwhen the two arms areV in operative relationship'as shown in Fig. 1. The-spring 30 thus acts to yieldingly hold the two arms in operative relationship while permitting one or both of the arms to be swung upwardly about the pivot-pin 25 .as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the purpose of `this pivotal movement of the arms being to swing them away from .the open end of the cylindrical balloonguard 7 so that the spool S may readily be placed `therein or removed therefrom.

Referring to Fig. 6, the outer end of the arm 21 is formed with a portion 33 extending at right-angles thereto and bent again to form a laterally-projecting extension 34 for mounting a tubular felt pad 35 thereon. The arm 22 also has an offset right-angular projection 36 for mounting a similar tubular felt pad 37. With the arms 21 and 22 in operative position as shown in Fig. 1 the two pads 35 and 37 are held in alinement with their adjacent peripheries abutting in substantial Acontact to adapt the strand of wire w to feed therebetween in the manner and for the purpose as later explained.

At its outer end the arm 21 is narrowed laterally (Fig. 3) and curled around to form a cylindrical bearing 38 (Fig. 2) for pivotally mounting .the right-angular bent end 39 of a rod 40 constituting an arm for mounting the tensioning means for the wire strand w. Referring t Figs. 2 and 5, the bearing portion 39 of the arm 40 i-s bent upwardly .at its Iouter end to form a shorter arm 41 for attachment of a spring to control-the pivotal movex ment of the arm 40. A-buttring each end of the bearing v38 is a relatively thin sheet-metal strip 42 of circular shape provided with a hole for receiving the end of the bearing portion 39 of the rod or arm 40 to serve as a washer therefor. A narrow length `of each strip 42 ex- Means are provided for applying frictional resistance to-the rotation of the tension-disk 55 consisting in a wire brake-element 65 bent into a loop 66 hooked `around the hub 59 of the bushing 58 in engagement with the peripheral groove 60 therein. The opposite end of the wire brakeelement 65 is bent around in a ring 67 encircling the rod l or arm 40 and-a helical spring 70 surrounding the arm Vbears against the ring 67 on the element to cause the loop 66 on the latter to frictionally Vengage the hub 59. The tension of the spring 70 may be adjusted by means of a knurled nut 71 engaging the threaded end of the arm 40. By screwing the nut 71 inwardly from the end of the arm 40 the spring may be shortened to increase its pressure on the brake-element 65 whereby to exert increased frictional drag of its hooked end 66 on the bushing 58 of the disk 55 and provide greate-r resistance to the turning of the disk. By turning the nut 71 in the opposite direction the pressure ofthe spring may be reduced to relieve the frictional drag of the wire brake-element 65 on the bushing 58 and thereby the resistance to the rotation of the disk 55.

Referring to Fig. 4, is the annular portion of the tension-disk or pulley 55 is provided with a peripheral groove 72 from the side of which a tapered radial ange 73 projects. Seated in the groove 72 is an elastic ring or annulus 75 constructed of rubber or similar resilient material and adapted to engage against the strand of wire as it feeds around the disk. The construction and arrangement of the several par'ts of the complete device having now been described in detail its method of operation is explained as follows:

To prepare the device for operation the two arms 21 and 22 are first swung upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 5 to clear the `open end of the cylindrical balloontends 4outwardly along the arm 40 and the arm 41, being y formed with projecting lugs 43 bent therearound to connect the strips thereto. The shorter arm 41 is perforated with a hole 44 at its end for receiving the hooked end of a spring 45 anchored at its opposite end to a bent projection 46 at the rearward end of the arm 21. The spring arm-21 by screws 47 is .a plate 48 having a right-angular portion k49 at one endV formed with bent detent-lugs 50, against one or the other of which the arm 41 is adapted kto 'strike tolimit the swinging motion of the main arm-40.

Theouter end of the .tension-.arm 40 is screw-threaded to receive a metal block 5'1 provided with a laterally.

extending bearing spindle 52 on which is journaled the tension-disk or VApulley 55. A-nut 56 screwed onto the end of the arm 40 is Vset-up against the end of the block 51 to secure it against .turning on the arm. The pulley 55-is` formed with a hub 5-7 bored to receive a bushing 58, fasttherein and preferably constructed of suitable oilless bearing material. The bushing 58 has an enlarged hub-portion 59V formed with a circumferential groove 60. The end of the spindle 52 is' scored with a peripheral groove for receiving a spring-washer 62 which abuts the end of the bushing 58. to hold .the tension-disk 55 in place on the spindle.

V35 and 37 to adaptit to feed therebetween.

guard 7 for placing the spool therein. A spool S of wire orv other strand material then may be inserted through the open end of the balloon-guard 7 and seated on the mandrel 18 as shown in Fig. l. After the spool S has been placed on the mandrel 18 the end of the wire w is drawn 'olf therefrom and inserted between the felt pads It will be observed that with the arms 21 and 22 swung back into inoperative position, as shownrin Fig. 5, they are retained in this relationship by the spring 30 bearing against the flat face of the upper arm 21. For convenience in threading the 'strand w between the pads 35 and 37, the arm 22 is first swung downwardlyinto'the position shown in Fig. 6 so that the wirercan be laid across the inner endof the pad 37. -Then the arm 21 is rocked downwardly into the position shown in Fig. l, thereby carryingtheV tension-arm' 40 and the tension-disk or pulley 55 into operative position. As the padv 35 is brought into juxtaposition with the pad 37 the wire w will be held between the pads 35 and 37 and may then be drawn out and carried around the pulley 55 to position it between the resilient annulus 75 and the flange 73 on the pulley. Y IFro'rn the disk 55 'the wire w is drawn downwardly and Vpassed around the pulleys 80, 81 of the traversing strandguide 82 tofeed it to the rotary spindle 83.

For winding an electrical coil C or other product, the

Vend of the wire w is fastened to the winding spindle 83 e and asthe latter starts torotate it will wind the strand thereon.4 The sudden draft on the wire at the start of winding draws the arm-40 down untily it strikes. the lower stop or detent-lug 50, in which position the arm-is held by the tension of the wire as the winding'continues; it

`beingunderstood that thisoperative relationship of the parts is secured by adjustment of the spring 45 'to regulate its tension in accordance with the requirements of as sometimes required in the production of the electrical coils. As the wire w unwinds from `the spool Sit will balloon outwardly in a loog revolving around the in' terior of the enclosing cylinder or guard 7. The balloonguard thus controls the extent of ballooning of the wire to prevent the strand from liying'out to catch on, or tangle with, 'other parts of the device.

During the unwinding of the wire` wfrom the spool S it is guided between the pads 35 and 37 to feed around the pulley 55 as the pulley is rotated with its rotation resisted by the action of the friction brake 65 to apply the proper degree of tension to the strand in accordance with the adjustment of the spring 70. l\/leanwhile,as a

.the strand feeds between the felt pads 3S and 37 any foreign particles adhering thereto will be wiped off to clean the wire before it delivers to the winding coil C. The pads 35 and 37 apply a slight pre-tension `to the strand as it is guided into alinement with the pulley 55, while preventing it from flying out and catching on other parts of the device. It will be understood that the pur- Y pose of swingably mounting the tension-arm 40 is to provide for taking up the slack in the strand feeding around the pulley 55, this action having no effect to materially increase the tension on the strand.

In this manner the device operates to apply a substantially uniform tension to the wire or other strand ma- Vaterial whereby it may be rapidly unwound from a spool or other container and the winding machine operated at high speed for producing electrical coils or other products from the material.

While the invention is herein described and illustrated as embodied in a preferred form of construction, it will be obvious that variations may be made in the form and arrangement of the parts ofthe device within the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, without limiting ourselves in this respect, we claim:

1. In a tension-device, a holder for supporting a spool or other container for wound strand material, a pair of resilient pads spaced from said holder and arranged in contact to adapt the strand to draw therebetweenya pivoted arm, resilient means for controlling the pivoting of said arm, a hanged pulley mounted Aon said arm in position to adapt the strand to feed therearound as it draws between the resilient pads, and a resilient annulus of cylindrical cross-sectional form surrounding said pulley to adapt it to bear against the strand and force it laterally against the flange of said pulley to apply resistance to its draft. Y

2. In a tensionfdevice, a bracket having means for supporting a spool or like strand-container, a cylindrical balloon-guard lxedly mounted on said bracket enclosing said spool for controlling the ballooning of the strand as it unwinds from the spool, a pair of pivoted arms normally extending in spaced parallel relationship at right-angles to the axis of said spool, a resilient pad carried at the end of each arm for mounting them in cooperative abutting relationship to adapt the strandto feed therebetween, resilient means for maintaining saidarms with their pads of said pad-carrying arms with their pads in cooperative relationship while adapting them to be swung out of the way as a unit for applying the spool to the holder within the balloon-guard.

3. In a tension-device, a bracket embodying a holder for mounting a spool or other strand-container, a cylindrical balloon-guard on said bracket surrounding the spool, a pair ofvarms pivoted to said bracket and carrying cooperating padsat their ends positioned to engage a strand drawing between said pads, means to hold said arms in operative relationship to cause the pads to apply pre-tension to the strand, said arms being adapted to'.be swung as a unit to displace them from the end of the balloon-guard for applying the spool to its holder, a tension-arm pivoted to one of the rst-named arms, a pulley `journaled at the end of said tension-arm, and resilient means for controlling the pivoting movement of said tension-arm.

4. In a tension-device, a bracket for mounting a spool or like container for strand material, a pair of arms pivoted on said bracket to swing about a common axis, means on the bracket for limiting the swinging movement of one arm, means engaging between said arms to normally maintain them in parallel spaced relationship, resilient means for holding said arms in parallel cooperative relationship while adapting one or both arms to swing about their pivot as a unit, and resilient pads carried at the ends by said arms and adapted to be positioned in alined abut-V ting relationship when said arms are extended from the bracket, and a leaf-spring fastened at one end to the bracket with its opposite end engaging the rearward end of one arm to hold both arms extended in operative relationship while adapting one arm to be swung away from the other arm or'both arms to be swung together as a unit.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 345,468 Wilmott July 13, 1886 1,011,450 De Laski et al Dec. 12, 1911 1,407,175 Smith Feb. 21, 1922 1,873,422 Keller Aug. 23, 1932 1,874,379 Stewart Aug. 30, 1932 2,048,511 Newton July 21, 1936 2,058,536 Waseen Oct. 27, 1936 2,079,966 Reiners et al May 11, 1937 2,362,920 l Moore -..7- Nov. 14, 1944 2,366,101 Grothey Dec. 26, 1944 2,643,075 Moore June 23, 1 953 

